Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-08-19

bringing. | had only met him once, and
that was my first ball, and he proposed
at a garden party three days after,
and -
Eyes, l know" interrupted Jessie;
"but that does not help me-"
Mrs. Maclean put on a little air of deep
consideration. y happy thought seemed
to strike her.
George says, she began, "that men,
as a rule, won't risk a refusal, and so
want plenty of encouragement"
Bother what George says'' exclaimed
Jessie, politely.
my dear Jessie!'
81 beg your pardon, Dora; but, you
see, Mr.. Maclean is not my husband, and
am rather tired of his words of wisdom.
If men require such an amount of en-
enlargement, they won't get it from me,
that is all" And she began angrily
brushing out her hair and twisting it up
for the night.
Il wish you were not obliged to go
home tomorrow, hazarded Mrs. Mac
lean, after pause.
ITO tell the truth, think that it is
quite as well l am obliged" returned
Jessie, candidly, 'for the Standishes are
to remain some time longer in this neigh
borhood, and the fact is, am
afraid of Cecil proposing" she added,
with sudden burst of confidence.
afraid! Why just now you wanted
a recipe for bringing men to the point.
What an incomprehensible, inconsistent
being you are!'
"Oh, you don't understand" ex-
claimed Jessie, as she gave an impatient
tug to her hair. II want Claud to pro-
pose, because-well, 1 rather like him;
besides, it would prevent his cousin do
ing So"
IF that is ALL" responded Dora,
naively, ''why not refuse Cecil? should
let him propose, and have done with it.
1t would be far less trouble"
And not at all honorable" retorted
Miss Vernon. you have no right to let
man propose, unless you meant to ac-
cept him..
THAT is all very well, but if a man
insists upon proposing, what are you to
do: You can't accept him merely for
the sake of getting rid of him in an
honorable manner"
Jessie made no response, but presently
said, with a certain hesitation,
ITO tell you the truth Dora only,
pray keep this strictly to YOURSELF am
i can't tell why-I am sure you will
say it very unlike me, butt am afraid
of Cecil Standish | always have been
ever since ] knew him. He is hand
some, l own, and at times contrives to
make one fancy one likes him, but it was
always relief to me when he left the
room. Somehow l distrust him, and
well, l shouldn't like to offend him.
Dora affected to yawn to hide a smile.
Jessies unusual display of honorable feel
ings was explained.
perhaps you are right, and it is as
well that you are going home to-mor-
row." she said "Well, suppose we
may consider this little romance finished.
Good gracious, hear George coming up;
how late it is" she added, glancing at
/ the little timepiece On the mantolshelf.
Good night, Jessie! pleasant dreams'
and she fitted of to her room.
If Mrs. Maclean thought she had heard
the last of her friends romance she was
very much mistaken. We even take
leave to doubt if she wished to have heard
the last of it. Like all women who have
V
interested in other peoples; and was no,
this her own familiar friends?
"a letter from Jessie" she exclaimed
one morning about month later, as she
turned over her bundle of correspondence
on the breakfast table. what do you
Think she cried, looking up suddenly g
few minutes later, ''Claud Standish has
actually proposed at last; but he really
is funny fellow"
"Why, what has he done ?" said
George, who was comfortably warming
his hack at the fire.
"Why, dear, it is not what he has
done, but the way he has done it, which
is so odd. 1t appears that he met Jessie
father at country house where bott
We're staying, and asked his consent tt
propose to her. So dull" pouted the
little woman.
"And she accepted him ?''
"Oh, yes; and seems most delightfully."-
happy and pleased. She expects hin
down next month, he can't get away be
fore-I don't think much of him as
lover-and then everything is to be set
tied"
"What a mercy it isn't Cecil" OBJ
served Maclean. II was terribly afraiC
at one time that Miss Jessie would take
fancy to him."
"Oh, George, told you that there we
no danger"
Eyes, dear; but there are more thing
in heaven and earth than ever enteret
into your pretty little head to imagine,
quoth her husband, holding up her fac
and kissing it. However, all's wei
that ends well. :"
Three weeks had elapsed since Dor
had written to congratulate Jessie, bu
: never another line had she received iron
her. Dora was seriously uneasy. Sh
felt that something had gone wrong, bu
: was sure if she mentioned her vagu
; fears to George that he would only laug
at her. So she said nothing, and Nigh
have persisted in her silence yet longe
, had not her husband CHANGED one after
noon to fetch the letters himself from tn
, postoffice. There was one for Dora an
as George gave it to her, and she recoe
nized the handwriting, she was surprise
into saving, "Oh! what a relief II